Struggling to settle in at uni? Students share their tips

Freshers Week is over, lectures have started, money is tight and a group of strangers are hogging the kitchen.

Starting university can feel overwhelming, but from joining a sports team to realising you are not alone, students have been sharing their tips on how to settle in.

"Starting uni was a really hard time for me and, as I was only two hours from Liverpool, the temptation to go home when I felt down was quite strong," Lola-Mae Till says.

She graduated from the University of Sheffield last year and is now the education officer at Sheffield Students' Union but remembers struggling as a fresher.

"I felt left out because I wasn't in the main university accommodation, I was in the city centre," she says.

"It felt as though everybody had this massive network of friends and I had made completely the wrong decision by not going into university accommodation and had completely missed out.

"When I was in my flat alone I felt like everyone else was playing board games and having dinner together.

"It was definitely lonely, I just didn't have those casual conversations with people, I had to put a lot of effort in and travel to see people."

She said joining a women's rugby team had been the turning point for her.

"I didn't know anybody, it wasn't a sport I had played before and putting myself out there was hard, but it was also helpful as it meant I had a designated activity every week which I wanted to go to.

"Having a routine and seeing people really helped. It's very easy to think other people are having a great time and you feel an urgency to socialise but I didn't find my good friends until the second semester.

"People are equally as nervous as you so don't feel awkward about asking to grab a coffee or go to the library together, other students really value that as well."

Joylin Joseph, a final year software engineer student, felt homesick when she first arrived at Sheffield Hallam University and especially missed her two younger brothers.

"I'm really attached to my brothers and I worried how they were going to cope without their big sister, so after a couple of weeks I did go home to see them for a weekend.

"Some people think, I'm away from home, I shouldn't call but sometimes a phone call can make you feel better.

"Meeting new people can feel really scary, but the best thing is to step out of your comfort zone, I joined loads of societies and made friendship groups from there.

"It did take time but once you find new friends, you build a community and you think, okay this is my family here."

Megan Boyce, who is in her second year studying primary education, is a twin and leaving her sister for the first time was a wrench.

"We have always been very close and, after sharing a room for 19 years, it was hard to adapt being apart," she said.

"I had my little friendship group at home and being outside that was like being alone.

"It is like ripping a plaster off, you have to know that everyone else around you is in the same boat and you should be brave and just go for it.

"It definitely took until the second term until I felt settled.

"My head was filled with all of these different changes all at once but in the second semester I finally got into a routine and felt calm. You will find your feet."

Kiera Thakkar, who is in her second year doing marketing psychology, said starting at Sheffield Hallam University had been "nerve-wracking".

"Some of my flatmates were a bit quiet and we didn't really talk as much as I thought we would," she said.

"I came from Leicester and there was a bit of homesickness, I called my parents about five times a day during the first week which helped.

"I joined a few societies and then, with the people from those, we started to explore Sheffield together.

"Say 'yes' to everything, because that's the best way to meet new people."

Not all students, however, will feel comfortable joining societies and continue to struggle to settle in.

According to a 2026 survey of more than 10,000 undergraduate students by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) 22% said they had considered dropping out, down from 29% the previous year.

Nearly a third of those who said they had thought about quitting cited their mental health as the reason, while others put it down to problems with financial difficulties, or personal or family issues.

For those who are considering leaving that's where the Students' Union can help.

Ebuka Obi, president of Sheffield Hallam Students' Union, said: "It's very important to understand you're not alone in navigating a particular situation or feeling a certain way.

"Universities do the absolute best they can to intervene and have services, including connecting students with people who are trained to help. You can get advice from people who are well connected within the city and understand the university processes.

"We try as much as possible to put on opportunities throughout the academic year so students can find ways to engage."

The National Union of Students says there is typically an initial phase, a few weeks into term, when people feel like they want to drop out of uni, with a second phase after the winter break.

Obi added: "If Freshers Week hasn't worked out so well, we put on activities during Welcome Back Week in January.

"These are usually much more well-being focused, such as animal therapy, cafes, outdoor running and walking events, which are minimal commitment.

"It is common for people to take some time to find their own tribe and it's why we have various activities, events and engagements. There are many interventions that we put in place."

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